Package.
You may recall this series that Mr. Moderator has run in the past. He posts an album cover and then says:
In 50 words or less, please describe how the album cover for Album Title, by Artist says all that there is to say, for better and for worse, about the music contained within.
It’s gotten to the point where I have trouble listening to new music; too often it’s a letdown. More often than that, the new release lives down to my expectations, expectations based primarily on the album cover art. I know that’s not right; I know I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I do. As Paula Deen recently said, “I is what I is.” See if you don’t find yourself weeping in my strong embrace after you find yourself in the same boat with your reactions to the following relatively new releases. After the jump…
The cover of the latest Bowie album reminded me of a Monty Python album where they used a classical music album cover.
I recently found an album by a one-man electronic band named “Mandre’ ” that clearly shows, both in music *and* in Look where Daft Punk stole their shiz. Check it out here:
http://www.spin.com/blogs/rip-michael-andre-lewis-aka-techno-funk-pioneer-mandre/
http://trickledown.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/daft-punk-copied-their-helmets-from-1970s-motown-artist-mandre/
KingEd,
Perhaps this gentleman’s perspective on the new Kanye West album will shed some light on things.
http://thetalkhouse.com/reviews/view/lou-reed
Indeed!
For real? We couldn’t make this up if we tried!
For what it’s worth Daft Punk are admitted recyclers of past electronic and dance music. Actual thievery is highly subjective depending on how much someone values the original artist (or victim). For me, the jury is still out whether I appreciate these guys for spinning good beats or being excellent antique pickers. I don’t feel superior when listening to Daft Punk. Quite the opposite, I feel like I’m a bit of a tourist.
That being said, at least the album cover art is reflective of the music which can’t be said for that dreadful cover art for Legendary Hearts. Lou seems to have going through a mask/robot phase with this album, The Blue Mask and that video where he’s a robot tearing his face off.
Bowie’s album cover seemed like a big middle finger to everyone. I bought it and gave it a pretty good chance but “Valentines Day” is the only song that’s stuck with me, so far.
Laura Marling — she definately has a Joni Mitchell thing going on, but that’s OK by me. “Where Can I Go?” off the new album is good, as is “Master Hunter” which she did on the Jools Holland show:
http://youtu.be/_E-EoSOC_N8
Due to our previous discussions, music execs and art directors had hoped to title Laura Marling’s album “We Reach.”
The tourist analogy is a good one. But I still don’t like the album. There are a few great single-worthy tracks, but on the whole, I feel that album jumped the shark.
http://www.autoevolution.com/news-g-image/shark-unveils-new-racer-r-pro-helmet-paint-schemes/51748.html
COMMENT OF THE MONTH contender!
I buy albums because I like the covers all the time. Sometimes those covers aren’t fancy or anything, but there’s something I like about them. This turned out to be a real fun album:
http://ufvcascade.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Sonny-and-the-Sunsets.jpg
That Bowie cover is awful. He usually has good ones, too.
I downloaded a few songs off that album thanks to curiosity raised by the album cover image on eMusic!
Did he actually say that people that like guitars should like Metal Machine Music? People that like static should like Metal Machine Music. People that like guitars should listen to Rock N’ Roll Animal.
How do you like them? I think they’re fun. Nowhere near as challenging as Kanye, but probably more fun on a sunny day.
Agreed, fun stuff, not as hokey as I initially feared.
One of my favorite album covers in recent memory. The music? Uh…not so much, and not a very good match.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI4IL23M9H8
That Chromatics cover is waaaaay to Scruffy the Cat “Tiny Days”: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7W3dgbq1JE/TomtPTxkJwI/AAAAAAAACdU/NjWCwGTszE8/s1600/Tiny+Days.jpg
Also, I recommend the Facebook group “shit record covers” to anyone here who hasn’t seen it…
Ugh. That would be “too”.